It’s that time again. Fantasy Premier League is back, and it’s time to sort out your teams ahead of what is set to be another stressful campaign.
Whether you are looking to defend your FPL crown, or avoid being humiliated in the office once again, we’ve come prepared with some sensible and some outrageous shouts ahead of the new season.
The early weeks of the season are the perfect opportunity to take some risks to help you pull clear of your mates in the table, but it’s important not to completely ignore the players that are guaranteed points.
Gameweek 1 Tips – Fantasy Premier League
Alex McCarthy – Goalkeeper, Southampton, 4.5 million
Southampton shot stopper Alex McCarthy may not have begun last season as a guaranteed starter, but his form in the second half of the campaign saw him cement a place as Ralph Hassenhüttl’s number one.
The 30-year-old managed to keep seven clean sheets in just 28 appearances during 2019/20, making 79 saves, and collecting a respectable 104 points along the way. On that form, he seems set to be a guaranteed starter in all 38 games this time around.
At 4.5 million he looks a snip and starts with a favourable opening fixture at Crystal Palace.
Ruben Vinagre – Defender, Wolves, 4.5 million
With the injury to Jonny (Otto) in Europe last month, it looks likely the impressive Ruben Vinagre will start at left-wing-back for Wolves this season.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s men kept an impressive 13 clean sheets last time out, which suggests a Wolves defender is always a handy addition for any FPL squad.
For 4.5 million, Vinagre should be in your squad – even if just on your bench for now.
Tomáš Souček – Midfielder, West Ham, 5.0 million
West Ham’s January signing Tomáš Souček was exactly what the Hammers needed to secure their Premier League status last season, and we expect another big year from the Czech Republic international.
He bagged three goals in 13 games from midfield, and continuously caused problems for sides at set pieces, creating havoc at 6ft 4 in. His ability to link up with Michail Antonio didn’t go unnoticed too.
At 5.0 million, he should be a consistent performer within any fantasy squad but keep an eye on West Ham’s opening few fixtures. They look tough to say the least. One for the long game, perhaps.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Midfielder, Arsenal, 12.0 million
You did read that correctly. Pierre Emerick Aubameyang is down as a midfielder for the 2020/21 FPL season.
This man scored 22 goals and registered five assists in another incredible campaign for the Gunners, and it would be foolish of us not to recommend him from the start here.
Arsenal’s first two games are against Fulham and West Ham. Risking the triple captain early on the free-scoring Arsenal man wouldn’t be the craziest move we’ve seen an FPL manager make.
Heung-Min Son, Midfielder, Tottenham, 9.0 million
Son’s 19/20 season went slightly under the radar, perhaps not all that surprising given all the things happening at Spurs both on and off the field. He bagged 11 goals and set up a further 13 for his teammates, which are some seriously impressive numbers for a team that slipped below their usual standards.
Jose Mourinho’s men have a nice enough start to look forward to in 20/21, opening against Everton, Southampton and Newcastle as they look to move back into top four contention.
9.0 million for someone as exciting for Son is a bargain in our opinion, and Mourinho may be able to unearth even more from the South Korean with Spurs ending last season brightly.
The deadline to submit your Gameweek 1 team is Saturday 12th September, 11am.
How should I pick my captain each week?
In the world of Fantasy Premier League, your captain’s pick can be the making of you, with your skipper stacking up double points each week. One outright FPL champion accrued a remarkable 24 per cent of points from his captain’s choices alone in recent seasons. It therefore pays to think about your pick very carefully.
Aside from the usual suspects (Salah, Kane, Agüero, Sterling), if you’re out for a differential, look for when ‘flat-track bullies’ can excel on the fixture list. Seek out those players who ruthlessly prey on weaker opposition, even if they occasionally go missing in more high-profile games.
When should I play my triple captain?
Watch out for those double gameweeks – but avoid triggering your triple captain chip too late in the day.
Logic suggests the games will begin to stack up for the high point-scoring players by the final few weeks of the season, and that could prove costly.
Don’t be surprised if real-life managers suddenly become your own worse enemy as they rest key players.
That could leave your inspired triple-captain strategy lying in tatters if your main man starts from the bench.
In some seasons, it’s taken until Gameweek 25 for the first double gameweek. When it finally arrives, it’s best to make the most of it, as the longer you wait, the higher the risk of your captain being a gameweek no-show.
When should I play my Fantasy Premier League wildcard?
Provided you don’t opt for the ‘rip it up, start again’ strategy after the opening few weeks of the season, there is no ‘optimum’ time to play your wildcard.
However, being bold and going early could work in your favour. Bigger clubs have free reign to play their strongest squads at the start of the season, without any major cup or European distractions currently on their radar.
Remember, the fixtures will start to pile up by midwinter.
That that could ruin your best laid-plans if your wildcard replacements are constantly being chopped and changed as managers guard against fatigue and injury.
Alternatively, the opening few weeks of the season can be misleading when it comes to judging long-term value.
Early-season form players can easily go off the boil by mid-autumn.
Many a fantasy football manager has boxed themselves in once their 6.0m summer ‘bargain buy’ starts stinking the place out in November.
For that reason, if you opt to play the long game, wait until the late autumn to make wholesale changes once form starts to level out and injuries hit hard.
Before you commit, it’s also worth scanning the fixture list to spot potential red flags.
Do the bulk of your re-tooled squad have more games away from home?
Do you have too many players from one team playing only teams in the top half of the table?
Take that moment to pause before you press to confirm your wildcard.
It could be the best tactical decision you make all season.
Remember you only have two wildcards to use per season – one before and one after Christmas.
Make sure you use them wisely.
